Jake Bleyle had big heart

PublishedOctober 24, 2012

Funeral services for Jacob Bleyle, 59, of Mobridge and formerly of Aberdeen and Java, were held Oct. 18, 2012, at Stout Family Funeral Home in Mobridge with Father Bill Hamak officiating.
Burial was at Greenwood Cemetery under the direction of Stout Family Funeral Home.
Jacob passed away Oct. 11, 2012, in Aberdeen.
Jacob Sievert Bleyle was born April 14, 1953, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Aberdeen to John and Lillian (Todd) Bleyle. He grew up in Aberdeen where he attended St. Mary’s Catholic School until his family relocated to Momence, Ill., in 1963. Jacob attended St. Patrick Catholic School in Momence, where he played basketball and baseball. He enjoyed junking and raising chickens with his father, and playing cowboys and Indians and “raising chaos” with all 17 siblings.
Jacob could always find little jobs on the side to get money to play pool with his friend, Ruben Rios. Through this friendship, Jacob met the love of his life, Carmen Rios, in 1968. After convincing Carmen his was 18, when he was really only 15, they eloped in Indiana.
They made their home in Momence and soon welcomed their daughters, JoAnn in 1970, Joni in 1972, and Jessica in 1973. They then moved to Mobridge where they were devastated by the loss of their baby girl, Jessica in 1975. In 1977, they were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Carmen.
Jacob made his home in many different places and impacted the lives of those he came into contact with. He felt there was no better place to call home and raise his family than in Mobridge. Jake had a big heart and opened the door of his home to his three nieces, Stephanie, Crystal and Tabatha, after losing their mother to cancer in 1986. Jake and Carmen later became foster parents, sharing their home and love to more than 393 foster kids, without having any feel unloved. Little did they know this would be when their son Shawn would be brought into the family. Jacob finally got is “boy” in 1989.
Jacob had different jobs, but what he loved most was cooking at several restaurants in Mobridge, driving Yellow Cab in Sioux Falls, and junking with many good friends. Jacob loved telling jokes, visiting with family and friends, and he always had a big feast for the holidays.
After retiring, Jacob and Carmen bought their home in Java. After a long, hard winter with Jacob’s health declining, they bought their home in Mobridge. This was where he enjoyed is children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, close family and friends, and where he resided until his untimely death.
Jake is survived by his wife of 45 years, Carmen; daughters, JoAnn (Barry) Schmidt of Java; Joni (Donnie) Swift of Mobridge; Stephanie of Illinois, Carmen (Eddie) Castillo of Sioux Falls, Crystal Bleyle of Lake Villa, Minn., and Tabatha Bleyle of Sioux Falls; son, Shawn Bleyle; grandchildren, Erica (William) Clark Sr. of Lennox, Christopher Simmons of Sioux Falls, Kasandra and Gavin Swift of Mobridge, Jacob Bleyle and Luis and Santana Duarte of Sioux Falls, and Quincey, Mack, Tyral and Marayha Bleyle of Sioux Falls; one great-grandson, William Clark Jr. of Lennox; seven sisters, Betty (Leroy) Schmidt, Rose (Frank) Copper, Irean (Keith) Goehring, Pat O’Cull, Mary Jane (Tony) Stango, Joni (Bob) Donley and Sandy (Jerry) Mulvey; and eight brothers, Jim (Helen), Dan, Tom, Nick, Andy (Paula), Don, Jerry and Norman (Melinda); along with many nieces, nephews and other extended family and friends.
Jake was preceded in death by his parents, John and Lillian; daughter, Jessica; granddaughter, Tasha Ann; brother, John Jr., and sister, Marilyn.